Texana/Genealogy

Since 1995, the Texana/Genealogy Department has been located on the sixth floor of the Central Library at 600 Soledad Street downtown. The department occupies approximately 10,000 square feet. Within the Department are:

approximately 60,000 microforms

75,000 books

110 drawers of archival files

11 map cabinets

300 cubic feet of archival collections.

This webpage is designed to introduce you to books, databases, web sites, and information on microfilm held by the Texana/Genealogy Department.

Collections

Genealogy Collection

The staff of the Texana/Genealogy Department has two main goals with regard to the Genealogy Collection. The first is to continue to acquire materials to meet the ever expanding needs of our patrons. Virtually every state east of the Rockies is requested, as well as Canada and Mexico, and some European countries.

The second goal is to educate family historians as to what materials we can provide and the proper historical and genealogical research methods to use. To this end the Department offers monthly classes, special events, and community outreach programs.

The types of records purchased as books or microfilm include court records (deeds, probate, marriage, etc.), church records (baptisms, burials, marriages, membership lists, etc.), cemetery readings, local histories, military records, passenger lists, and others. Some examples from the collection include:

Complete United States census population schedules 1790-1930, slaves schedules, mortality schedules for several states, agricultural schedules for Texas (some other states in paper-dates vary)

Registers of Enlistments for the United States Army, 1798-1914

Compiled Service Records for Revolutionary War

Antebellum Southern Plantation records from across the South

Indexes to military service records, Revolutionary War through Philippine Insurrection

Journals of the Continental Congress, Papers of the Continental Congress, and Letters to Delegates of the Continental Congress

American State Papers and Territorial Papers of the United States

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navy

Rosters of Union and Confederate Soldiers

Numerous Mayflower-related materials

Over 2,000 Civil War Unit Histories (complete UPA collection)

Five civilized tribes enrollment cards and Dawes rolls

18th and 19th century United States newspapers from various locations

County records and county histories from across the United States

Approximately 400 current periodicals and many titles no longer published

Texana Collection

The mission of the Collection is to preserve and make available to our patrons materials which chronicle the history and development of all aspects of the rich heritage of San Antonio, Bexar County, and Texas from prehistoric times to the present. Special focus is on the history and development of San Antonio and Bexar County as entities within the larger context of Texas, the Southwest, and Northern Mexico. While the primary focus is on history and culture of San Antonio and Texas, items also reflect the customs and crafts of various ethnic groups which make up the population. Also in the collection are materials on politics, archaeology, ranching, plant and animal life, cooking, religion, literature, water-related issues, and much more. The collection includes, not only, books, but also maps, serials, microforms, and archival files.

Special Collections

These are groups of materials given to the Library by local individuals and are designated as special due to the nature of the collection or the original owner. Examples include,

The Rosengren Collection consists of a group of rare 18th, 19th, and early 20th century children’s books given by Florence and Frank Rosengren.

Edward W. Heusinger Geographical Collection was presented to the Library by Mr. Heusinger, a local merchant, a founder of the San Antonio Scientific Society and member of the Royal Geographical Society. There are approximately 160 books on geography and travel published from the 1800s to the mid-1950s, recording accounts during the Age of Exploration.

In 1925 Mary Ellen Slayden donated 325 volumes from her husband’s (James L. Slayden, U.S. Representative from Bexar County) library. They relate primarily to World War I and international peace. Also included is a collection of autographs.

Longtime San Antonio newspaperman J. P. Newcomb is represented by two collections. One is a collection of bound volumes of his newspapers from the 1850s to early 1900s (now available on microfilm). The other is a collection consisting of family and business letters beginning in the early 1800s with his father, Thomas, and their move from Nova Scotia to San Antonio and continuing into the early 1900s.

San Antonio’s long love affair with the military is represented in several collections: Col. Martin Giesecke (World Wars I & II, San Jose Cattle Co. and Liberty Mills) Collection; Birkhead (commander of Randolph AFB) Collection; Ann Flores collection of German publications from World Wars I and II; a collection of newspapers (on microfilm) published by German POWs while in the United States and Canada, a collection of published primary accounts of the two world wars, and a number of other primary source collections.

The Hertzberg Rare Book Collection includes several thousand books on all subjects. While most of the books are not actually rare, there are some, for example: a first issue of the first edition of the 1611 King James Bible, Biblia Latina (A.D. 1250), numerous illuminated manuscript pages, two volumes of English broadsides, and many more items.

Oral Histories are an important source of personal and community information.

Texana/Genealogy, on its own, and with partners, records, transcribes, and houses oral histories of individuals with loacl connections. The department is a depository for oral histories of the Bexar County Historical Commission and the San Antonio Symphony.

Archives

The archival collections are generally non-published materials representing individuals or organizations. In preserving our local history for future generations such collections are very important as they contain information not likely to be found elsewhere. When lost, the place of that individual or organization in history may be gone forever along with any references to the important contributions made to society. As the primary location in San Antonio for preserving local history, the Texana/Genealogy Department seeks to acquire, preserve, and make available these important local resources. Some of the archival collections maintained by the Department are:

Funeral program for Burney T. Allen, Sr., born December 30, 1924 and died May 4, 2013. The funeral was held May 17, 2013 at F.E. Lewis Memorial Chapel, officiated by Reverend Chris Barnes. Funeral arrangements were made through Lewis Funeral Home and he was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery near San Antonio, Texas.

Funeral program for Mrs. Darlene Boyd Andrews, born August 19, 1921 and died April 1, 2011. The funeral was held April 9, 2011 at West End Baptist Church, officiated by Elder Michael Clerkley. Funeral arrangements were made through Lewis Funeral Home and she was buried in Sunset Memorial Park in San Antonio, Texas.

Funeral program for Sylvester George Ford, born December 23, 1906 and died July 11, 1981. The funeral was held July 15, 1981 at Jacob's Chapel United Methodist Church, officiated by Reverend Morris Daughtery. Funeral arrangements were made through Lewis Funeral Home and he was buried in Meadowlawn Memorial Park in San Antonio, Texas.

Funeral program for Dennis L. (Duck) Dilworth, born November 12, 1957 and died July 6, 2012. The funeral was held July 13, 2012 at Fort Sam Houston, officiated by Rev. Larry Jackson. Funeral arrangements were made through Lewis Funeral Home and he was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, near San Antonio, Texas

Funeral program for David Lee Derry, born February 23, 1923 and died July 10, 2011. The funeral was held July 15, 2011 at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church, officiated by Dr. Paul D. Stevens, Sr. Funeral arrangements were made through Lewis Funeral Home and he was buried in Meadowlawn Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

Funeral program for Chloe Yvette Harrison, born October 18, 1991 and died September 8, 2011. The funeral was held September 15, 2011 at Sunset Funeral Home, officiated by Rev. Dawarren Ennis. Funeral arrangements were made through Sunset Funeral Home and she was buried in Sunset Funeral Home Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

Funeral program for Williard (Joe) Crawford, born August 18, 1936 and died January 25, 2009. The funeral was held February 2, 2009 at Bethel Community Church, officiated by Pastor Lee Petty. Funeral arrangements were made through Lewis Funeral Home and he was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery near San Antonio, Texas,

Funeral program for William Turner Ford, born November 15, 1940 and died April 20, 2011. The funeral was held April 29, 2011 at East St. Paul United Methodist Church, officiated by Pastor Hector Grant, Sr. Funeral arrangements were made through Lewis Funeral Home and he was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery near San Antonio, Texas.

Funeral program for James (Pluke) Edward Drake, born April 15, 1939 and died April 15, 2014. The funeral was held April 24, 2014 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, officiated by Father Mario Marzocchi, SSS. Funeral arrangements were made through Carter-Taylor-Williams Mortuary and he was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery near San Antonio, Texas.

Funeral program for Alice Marie Houck Frederick, born January 25,1930 and died July 5, 2013. The funeral was held July 12, 2013 at Coliseum Park Baptist Church, officiated by Rev. William Pullam. Funeral arrangements were made through Sutton-Sutton Mortuary and she was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, near San Antonio, Texas.

San Antonio Cemeteries

Check for alternate spellings. Information included here is as it appears on the cemetery cards and City Sexton's book.

Events

Using the Online Catalog

While almost all Texana and genealogy books are listed in the online catalog, items in the specials collections, maps, clipping files, archive collections, and those on microfilm and microfiche do not appear in the catalog.

Books in the Texana Collection follow the Dewey system. Books on individual counties are given a specific county number, and then filed by author, title entry, etc.

Books in the Genealogy Collection also follow the Dewey system. Books about individual states are file according to the appropriate state number and then filed by individual county in possible. Those items with material on several counties or general topics are filed by author or title entry. Patrons should use the catalogue because some materials on a county of interest may be filed in one of these more general titles.

Books on specific families are filed in 929.2, and then by the first surname that appears on the title page. The catalogue will contain all surnames on the title page. Other surnames listed in the text or index will not be in the catalogue. Patrons should check the catalogue under “_____ family” or “_____ genealogy”

The Texana/Genealogy Department is a Reference Only Collection. The materials are not allowed to leave the department, however, copies of some of the books are available for check out in the circulating collection.

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